EARTH POTENTIAL RISE (EPR)

Earth potential rise (EPR) also called ground potential rise (GPR) occurs when a
large current flows to earth through an earth impedance. The potential relative to a distant
point on the Earth is highest at the point where current enters the ground, and declines
with distance from the source. Ground potential rise is a concern in the design
of electrical substations because the high potential may be a hazard to people or
equipment.
Earth Potential Rise (EPR) is caused by electrical faults that occur at electrical
substations, power plants, or high-voltage transmission lines. Short-circuit current flows
through the plant structure and equipment and into the grounding electrode. The
resistance of the Earth is finite, so current injected into the earth at the grounding
electrode produces a potential rise with respect to a distant reference point. The resulting
potential rise can cause hazardous voltage, many hundreds of metres away from the
actual fault location.
Factors determining the level of hazard are:
1. Available fault current,
2. Soil type
3. Soil moisture
4. Temperature
5. Underlying rock layers
6. Clearing time to interrupt a fault.
STEP POTENTIAL
Step potential is the voltage between the feet of a person standing near an energized
grounded object. It is equal to the difference in voltage, given by the voltage distribution
curve, between two points at different distances from the "electrode". A person could be
at risk of injury during a fault simply by standing near the grounding point.
TOUCH POTENTIAL
Touch potential is the voltage between the energized object and the feet of a person in
contact with the object. It is equal to the difference in voltage between the object and a
point some distance away. The touch potential could be nearly the full voltage across the
grounded object if that object is grounded at a point remote from the place where the
person is in contact with it.
The creation of an equipotential zone will protect a worker standing within it from
hazardous step and touch potentials. Such a zone can be produced through the use of a
metal mat connected to the grounded object. The use of insulating personal protective
equipment, such as rubber gloves, can protect employees handling grounded equipment
and conductors from hazardous touch potentials

TRANSFER POTENTIAL
Any conducting object connected to the substation earth ground, such as telephone wires,
rails, fences, or metallic piping, may also be energized at the ground potential in the
substation. This is called transfer potential. Transferred potential is a hazard to people and
equipment outside the substation.

There are methods for reduction of step and touch potential

1. Reduction in the Resistance to Ground of the grounding system

2. Proper placement of ground conductors
3. The addition of resistive surface layers